They keep their promises even when it hurts. — Psalm 15:4b
We are down to the wire.
In this election, most attention has focused on the dramatic Trump-Biden presidential race. As The Roanoke Star Editor Stuart Revercomb pointed out, this is not some middle-school “Personality Contest.” Crucial issues and liberties are at stake and as someone else put it, “This is not a choice between two men. It is a choice between two Americas.”
But there are many more races on Nov. 3.
To better reflect and represent the diversity of America, the US founders wisely created two houses of Congress, each with somewhat different powers and compositions. The House of Representatives has 435 members — ALL these seats are being chosen tomorrow. (Most residents of Southwest or Southside Virginia are in Districts 5, 6, or 9.) Each term lasts only two years.
The Senate, in contrast, is the more “deliberative” body. It has only 100 members (2 per state), and only one-third of them are up for reelection this year, so the Senate changes more slowly than the House can. Because each Senator is 1% of the whole, a few seats changing can have huge consequences.
Though the race for the White House is crucial and garners most attention, the races that will choose our next Senate are important too. Only the Senate has the power to approve or reject treaties or federal judges. (The House does not have that power.)
Each Senate term is for six years, so if you get a bad one, you are stuck with him or her for a long time. (For example, Virginia’s other US Senator, Tim Kaine, won reelection in 2018 so we are saddled with him for four more years.) Virginia won’t even have a Senate race in 2022. So, whoever wins the Senate race tomorrow will be in office until January 2027.
Virginia’s Senate race pits incumbent Mark Warner (D) against challenger Dr. Daniel Gade (R).
Don’t believe the “invincibility” argument surrounding Warner. Many news sites and pundits label Virginia “safe” for Warner’s reelection, but they did the same in 2014, ultimately to their embarrassment. That year, Ed Gillespie challenged Warner. Gillespie, a decent but uncharismatic man, had been a career GOP functionary who had never held elected office.
In short, he seemed like a weak candidate, especially against the “invincible” Warner. He consistently trailed in the polls. As such, he struggled to raise campaign money, the “mother’s milk” of politics. Even the national Republican Party did not give him cash for his campaign and crucial TV ads. Despite all odds, Gillespie gave Warner a political “near-death” experience on election night, delivering a shockingly strong performance. Warner finally eked out a win, but only by 1%.
What are some reasons to let Warner go?
Warner is a career politician who has already served one term as Governor. (Virginia is the only state that does not allow one governor to serve back-to-back terms.) During his first run for the Senate in 1996, he promised to serve two terms only. He has already occupied two terms (12 years), but now he is breaking his promise by running for a third. Since he can’t keep his promise himself, it’s up to the good people of Virginia to do it for him. Many folks of both parties support term limits for politicians. Stopping Warner tomorrow is one way to do that.
- Warner lacks understanding of Southwest Virginia. Warner, who grew up in the Midwest and Connecticut, has lived most of his life in D.C. When he ran for governor, he hired a “consultant” to “explain Southwest Virginia culture” to him. I guess to appeal to the so-called “Bubba vote,” he sponsored a NASCAR truck and ran TV ads featuring a bluegrass jingle. Recently I have been hearing Warner’s “I care about Southwest Virginia” radio spots. That tells me, his polling is soft here and he is concerned. The Democrat policy is: it’s ok to lose rural areas, just don’t lose by “too much.” If Dems lose by a big enough margin in rural areas, however, Warner could lose the state. Western Virginia voters have to do our part and vote.
- Warner is a liberal. His “shtick” is to portray himself as: “Aw shucks, can’t we all just use a little common sense and get along?” However, as with most politicians, ignore what they say and focus on what they DO. His record shows he votes in lock step with Democrat party bosses and Chuck Shumer (D-NY). When Pres. Obama needed 60 votes in 2009 to break the Obamacare filibuster, Warner was one of the 60, so you can honestly say, “His was the decisive vote.” (Of course, each was decisive to get to the crucial 60.) The Senate had that crucial vote on Christmas Eve, when most normal people were with family or Christmas Eve services, not paying attention to D.C. politics. (It was the first time the Senate had held a vote on Christmas Eve since 1963, when our nation was debating the Vietnam War.) Ironically, despite passing Obamacare 10 years ago, what is Warner making a campaign issue again now? “Healthcare.” (I think most politicians have no interest in really “fixing healthcare,” because they would rather leave it as an expensive mess that they can run on each election.) Recently, Warner joined all other Dems to vote “no” on elevating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Court. So much for the Dem hype about “being the party for women.”
- Democrats want to “pack the Senate.” There has been discussion about “packing the Supreme Court” if Dems win, but many have also pledged statehood for Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Though couched in terms of “fairness,” it is really a naked power grab to “pack the Senate” by adding up to four Democrats to that chamber, probably changing the balance of power for decades. For people who want to vote for Biden and Warner because “Trump rubs them the wrong way” and want a temporary change, they should consider: could this election permanently change our balance of power and freedoms? (I discuss this issue further in “Could this be our last free election?”)
Virginia’s alternative for a new face and voice for the Senate is Dr. Daniel Gade but he does have a “pre-existing condition” – he lost a leg in combat serving in Iraq. A graduate from the US Military Academy at West Point Gade has earned a PhD in public policy and has campaigned tirelessly all over the state.
In our age of military and terrorist threats from many sources, we need more leaders in Congress who have actually served in the armed forces. Gade supported elevating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Gade strongly supports our Second Amendment rights and is endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee.
Vote Daniel Gade!
– Scott Dreyer
Sources:
https://www2.gwu.edu/~magazine/archive/2002_spring/docs/feature_word.html
http://www.kentonngo.com/2014/11/10/southwest-virginia-the-fall-of-warner-country/
https://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/chasing-bubba/Content?oid=1390697
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/73537-senate-passes-historic-healthcare-reform-bill-60-40
https://www.wsj.com/articles/packing-the-u-s-senate-11602888806
